Agriculture must keep pace with the times

Diversifying activities in the company, focus on 'innovation and the link with their history and tradition: these are the recipes for tomorrow's agriculture, according to the associations. With a change of mentality that goes by the need of farmers to become more and more entrepreneurs. No longer enough to produce, you need to find markets, follow the needs of consumers. In short, to survive we must change tack.

And the issue of sustainability of historical cultures is at the center: "Farmers are the protagonists of the territory – Paola Battioli confirmation, driving Confagricoltura Novara and VCO – live there, work there, they shall retain it. We, in this environment, we live every day: and we care. Rice cultivation is our workhorse but in recent years many issues have not gone in the right direction. I speak of markets, prices. One area, ours, who had a leading position and now has a difficult prospect. Companies must therefore evolve, diversify, not only with regard to crops, but also in the activities, adding new pieces as, for example, educational farms. " Even Manrco Brustia, head of Novara and Vercelli CIA and VCO highlights: "The sub-funds of our territory were subjected to cyclical crises. Companies need to change the culture, but also business goals. No longer enough to be a farmer you have to become an entrepreneur, not only focusing on crop rotation, but also the multi-functionality of the companies. "

Another competition

An example of this strategy is followed by Fabrizio Rizzotti, partner and president Coldiretti Campagna Amica: "I chose to promote my product, from Claw rice until the race 77, an old variety that we are now rediscovering – confirmation – I started looking for niche markets, selling them on their own. We can not compete with the world's great powers. We must highlight our excellence, and rice, with its food safety, is one of them. " It reiterates the theme of the president of Coldiretti Novara and VCO Sara Baudo: "Our productions are heterogeneous and, at the same time, identity: rice, milk, and their supply chains. The grains, meats, honey, flowers, meat: the future is increasingly in connection with the territory. They were obtained important results on this front, such as mandatory labeling of origin for milk. Now we have to promote the Italian rice, and its great uniqueness that is the risotto. "